Jungle safari train with five-star comfort.

steven_ber · May 8th, 2007, 02:10

Vivek Deshpande, Posted online: Tuesday, May 01, 2007.

Narrow-gauge Vidarbha Queen will take tourists to Tadoba tiger reserve in Maharashtra; first trip this month (MAY)

NAGPUR, APRIL 30: For jungle buffs not willing to rough it out, the Vidarbha Queen, an air-conditioned narrow gauge train to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district, could prove the right thing.

Billed as the country’s first jungle safari train, the Vidarbha Queen has ten luxury carriages and will make the 120 km run from Nagpur to Nagbhid, right to the doorstep of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur district. It has six AC and one non-AC saloons, a pantry car, and two guards cabins, all with five-star interiors.

Should everything fall into place, the first run will be in May.

Full article.
-------------------------------------

(for those interested in this route....)

There are already 3 passenger trains a day (in both directions) running on this line, these trains are narrow gauge trains, the 2 narrow gauge trains I've used were old, small and atmospheric, I loved them, but they are basic, hard wooden seats and locals who've never seen a foreign tourist before, but as usual a smile works wonders.

(I'll try to add some photos of my trips on Narrow gauge trains when I have more time).

shahronakm · May 9th, 2007, 20:22

Jungle safari train with five star comforts - means it will be out of reach for most of us. Why don't they start something which every one can afford ?

Ronak.

steven_ber · May 9th, 2007, 20:26

As I said, there are already 3 passenger trains a day in each direction on this line.

The reason for the 5-start train is in the article, the train was built a few years ago for other journeys.

steven_ber · Jul 5th, 2007, 13:16

Money spent but no train....

Quote:

This year's tiger-sighting season has come to an end, but a narrow
guage train, converted into a jungle safari with five-star facilities
for taking tourists from Nagpur to Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
(TATR) in Chandrapur district, has proved to be a non-starter.
Reason? Doing a classic cart-before-the-horse act, after about Rs 60
lakh being spent on the train's makeover, and another Rs 40 lakh set
to be spent, the Railway Board feels it is not viable.

Quote:

Asked how then such a huge spending on the train's makeover was done
without the basic requirement of viability study being fulfilled
first, the officer said, " I don't know."

Full article

Railway Board pulls chain on tiger safari train

steven_ber · Jul 5th, 2007, 13:19

Just a thought.....

Rs 40 lakh still needed, thats a little over US$100,000

Indiamike's own luxury train???

capt_mahajan · Jul 5th, 2007, 13:26

They did say it was not viable

Maybe another route?

ba9rn · Jul 5th, 2007, 13:28

It does not sound like it's down and out though...

Quote:

...the train will have to be run now."

Gagrani said even though the tiger season was over, the train would be run later for "pleasure sake" till the tiger reserves again open after the rainy season break.

steven_ber · Jul 5th, 2007, 13:41

I wonder if the train is the same gauge as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.....

bijapuri · Jul 5th, 2007, 14:01

what an inviting target for the area's Naxalites!

Bhaswaran · Jul 5th, 2007, 14:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven_ber

I wonder if the train is the same gauge as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.....

Probably not.....The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has a much narrower gauge even than the standard narrow gauge used everywhere. It is unique.

roopesh_kohad · Jul 5th, 2007, 21:11

Here's a picture of the coach which will be used in this train. I took this picture in Motibagh yard where some of these coaches were stabled and workers were working away on other coaches. All the coaches were locked so not idea how the interior looks.

Till now, I heard that this was supposed to go to Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary (near Gondia) rather than Tadoba. Looks like they have changed the plan.

This narrow guage here is 2'6" as against Darjeeling which is 2'0".

They just need to do one thing and hordes will arrive to travel by this train, animals or no animals. They just need to resurrect a narrow gauge steam loco from Narrow Gauge Museum in Nagpur, buy some coal from mines in Chandrapur district (where Tadoba is located) and put that loco in front of this train

Steven, IMs luxury train is very easy to make a reality. I am sure you must be knowing that anyone can charter a train on Kalka-Shimla and Darjeeling, known as "Steam Charter". They will put a steam loco in front

And charges are not very high. IIRC, 25k for Darjeeling (not the entire stretch though).

steven_ber · Apr 2nd, 2008, 04:55

I've seen reports that this train will start running soon, I'll post more info when I see the next report.

May 8th, 2007, 02:10	#1
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,622	Jungle safari train with five-star comfort. Vivek Deshpande, Posted online: Tuesday, May 01, 2007. Narrow-gauge Vidarbha Queen will take tourists to Tadoba tiger reserve in Maharashtra; first trip this month (MAY) NAGPUR, APRIL 30: For jungle buffs not willing to rough it out, the Vidarbha Queen, an air-conditioned narrow gauge train to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district, could prove the right thing. Billed as the country’s first jungle safari train, the Vidarbha Queen has ten luxury carriages and will make the 120 km run from Nagpur to Nagbhid, right to the doorstep of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur district. It has six AC and one non-AC saloons, a pantry car, and two guards cabins, all with five-star interiors. Should everything fall into place, the first run will be in May. Full article. ------------------------------------- (for those interested in this route....) There are already 3 passenger trains a day (in both directions) running on this line, these trains are narrow gauge trains, the 2 narrow gauge trains I've used were old, small and atmospheric, I loved them, but they are basic, hard wooden seats and locals who've never seen a foreign tourist before, but as usual a smile works wonders. (I'll try to add some photos of my trips on Narrow gauge trains when I have more time). __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

Jul 5th, 2007, 14:01	#9
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	what an inviting target for the area's Naxalites! __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

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May 9th, 2007, 20:22	#2
shahronakm Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 1,518	Jungle safari train with five star comforts - means it will be out of reach for most of us. Why don't they start something which every one can afford ? Ronak.

May 9th, 2007, 20:26	#3
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,622	As I said, there are already 3 passenger trains a day in each direction on this line. The reason for the 5-start train is in the article, the train was built a few years ago for other journeys.

Jul 5th, 2007, 13:19	#5
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,622	Just a thought..... Rs 40 lakh still needed, thats a little over US$100,000 Indiamike's own luxury train???

Jul 5th, 2007, 13:26	#6
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,526	They did say it was not viable Maybe another route?

Jul 5th, 2007, 13:41	#8
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,622	I wonder if the train is the same gauge as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.....

Jul 5th, 2007, 21:11	#11
roopesh_kohad Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pune, Maharashtra Posts: 164	Here's a picture of the coach which will be used in this train. I took this picture in Motibagh yard where some of these coaches were stabled and workers were working away on other coaches. All the coaches were locked so not idea how the interior looks. Till now, I heard that this was supposed to go to Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary (near Gondia) rather than Tadoba. Looks like they have changed the plan. This narrow guage here is 2'6" as against Darjeeling which is 2'0". They just need to do one thing and hordes will arrive to travel by this train, animals or no animals. They just need to resurrect a narrow gauge steam loco from Narrow Gauge Museum in Nagpur, buy some coal from mines in Chandrapur district (where Tadoba is located) and put that loco in front of this train Steven, IMs luxury train is very easy to make a reality. I am sure you must be knowing that anyone can charter a train on Kalka-Shimla and Darjeeling, known as "Steam Charter". They will put a steam loco in front And charges are not very high. IIRC, 25k for Darjeeling (not the entire stretch though).

Apr 2nd, 2008, 04:55	#12
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,622	I've seen reports that this train will start running soon, I'll post more info when I see the next report.

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